


Agent Peter Burke and the Caffrey series

by SwirlsOfBlueJay



Category: White Collar
Genre: Gen, Pre series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-16
Updated: 2011-07-16
Packaged: 2017-10-21 11:02:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/224469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwirlsOfBlueJay/pseuds/SwirlsOfBlueJay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of ficlets featuring Peter's history with Neal. Written for whitecollar100 prompt; case.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Agent Peter Burke and the Caffrey Case

Peter barely pays attention to the coffee tray he’s holding as he makes his way back to the crime scene. He understands the necessity of staying on McNeil’s good side, even though he’s less eager than his fellow probationary agents when it comes to kissing the bosses ass. The others are scrupulously combing through the museums employees and visitors. So Peter turns his eye to everyone else: the waiter in the crowded cafe across the street who is casually slipping a ten from the till into his pocket; the high-stressed business-woman trying to pretend she’s not jonesing for one last cigarette; the baggy-clothed kid playing with a skateboard on the steps and the beat-cops telling him to move along. And something clicks.

“Hey kid, I have some questions for you,” Peter says, striding towards the kid. The boy looks around eleven but that’s the too-big clothes serving their purpose- on closer inspection he’s around fourteen. Peter holds back a sigh as he sees Aldridge in his periphery- the man clings to Peter’s coat-tails for the sole reason of pointless one-up-man-ship. He shifts his attention back to the kid to maintain his focus.

And jeez he’s got the bluest eyes Peter has ever seen, that along with the clothes and the goofy smile he’s giving the two agents and he’s practically the poster child for sweet adorable innocence. Peter’s head is screaming criminal.

“What’s your name kid?” Aldridge asks in a soft incredibly patronising I’m-talking-to-a-baby voice. The kid doesn’t scoff or laugh or scowl or say that he’s not a kid like most would, he doesn’t even blink- just extends his look-how-adorable-I-am smile a couple millimetres and answers in a small- completely fake-and-yet-completely-convincing- shy voice.

“Neil.”


	2. Agent Peter Burke and the Caffrey File

Peter stares at the files. A myriad of crimes, thefts, forgeries, cons. All similar styles, similar patterns. He has finally convinced the higher ups that Caffrey has something to do with them, even if they think he’s far further down the chain than Peter knows he is. Now all they need to do is find some evidence. Of course Peter has a whole pile of cases to be working on; technically the Caffrey case isn’t one of them. That doesn’t stop him from staying after hours to get a glance at the case notes.

The team on the case has been attempting to find the kids real name, hoping to find some evidence of past criminality. There are a few leads but they seem to be dead ends. Peter knows how the kid likes playing games, so decides to work a hunch that is ridiculous but he’s tired and bored so he might as well. He begins running variations on the name.

Neil Cafrey. Neil Caffry. Neil Cafry. Neil Caffery. Neil Cafery. Neil Caferty. Neil Cafferty.

Peter’s eyes drooped as it reached the early hours of the morning and he stared forlornly at the empty coffee pot. His eyes slid shut staring at the uncountable names he had run.

An hour later Peter jerked awake, the names swam in front of his eyes as a smile formed. He turned back to the database and typed: Neal Caffrey. Bingo. The file had been deleted and hidden but Peter had still managed to find it. He went through checking and double checking that it was the right person then proceeded to read the entire file, only stopping when he realised the sun was rising. Peter left a post-it on the case-lead-agents desk with the name on it before heading out for coffee.


End file.
